Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan discuss preparations for activating the Mecca Agreement

The foreign ministers of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan discussed progress in establishing the secretariat, committees, and working groups stipulated in the Mecca Agreement for joint defense, and ongoing preparations to begin its operation. The meeting was held in New York and condemned attacks on Mecca, reaffirming Saudi Arabia's right to defend its security.

The foreign ministers of Turkey, Hakan Fidan; Saudi Arabia, Faisal bin Farhan; and Pakistan, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, discussed progress in establishing the secretariat, committees, and working groups stipulated in the Mecca Agreement for joint defense, and ongoing preparations to begin its operation. The meeting was held on Wednesday in New York, and the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a joint statement on Friday. The agreement was signed on August 7 by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Mecca. The agreement aims to enhance security, peace, stability, and welfare regionally and internationally, and to increase joint deterrence capability. The ministers strongly condemned the heinous attacks targeting the city of Mecca and civilian and economic assets in Saudi Arabia, and expressed appreciation for the state of alert demonstrated by the Saudi armed forces. The ministers, under Article 51 of the UN Charter, reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's right to take measures it deems appropriate to defend its security. They also discussed preparations for an urgent meeting of the chiefs of staff of the three countries' armies to discuss ways to provide support to Saudi Arabia, under the Mecca Agreement, which stipulates that an attack on one party is an attack on all parties. The ministers addressed the current situation in the region, emphasizing the importance of adhering to international law, principles of good neighborliness, mutual respect for state sovereignty, and non-interference in internal affairs, and ensuring the security of navigation.